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Using telemedicine to improve glaucoma care: An emerging eye care delivery model

Award Number: K23EY025724
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2016
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2021

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Using telemedicine to improve glaucoma care: An emerging eye care delivery model - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes a training plan to develop Lindsay A. Rhodes, MD into an independent clinician- scientist specializing in health services research, including novel care delivery models such as telemedicine. Dr. Rhodes is a board certified ophthalmologist with subspecialty training in glaucoma and with prior research experience in telemedicine. This training program will consist of mentored research, advanced coursework leading to a Master of Science in Public Health in Outcomes Research, and multi-disciplinary conferences. Mentored research will be conducted under the direction of a mentoring team composed of Dr. Christopher Girkin, Professor and Chairman of the UAB Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Cynthia Owsley, Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Research at the UAB Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Stephen Mennemeyer, Professor in the UAB Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, and Dr. Gerald McGwin, Professor and Vice Chair in the UAB Department of Epidemiology. The proposed mentored research plan will evaluate a novel community-based care delivery model for open angle glaucoma. The overarching hypothesis is that a telemedicine-based detection and management program using a comprehensive remote optic nerve assessment (CRONA) performed in community clinics and then transmitted to a remote reading center can access at-risk minority populations as accurately as standard in-person care by a glaucoma specialist, at lower cost, and with a platform for eye health education designed to improve patient adherence to filling glaucoma medications. This hypothesis will be tested utilizing data obtained from a recently developed telemedicine demonstration program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, entitled Eye Care Quality and Accessibility Improvement in the Community (EQUALITY), along with a smaller cross-sectional study. EQUALITY deployed an integrated telemedicine program within two primary eye care clinics (Walmart Vision Centers) located within retail centers that serve predominantly African American communities in underserved areas of Alabama. Primary eye care providers in these retail-based clinics performed dilated comprehensive eye exams with the additional use of automated optic nerve structural and functional assessment to assist in the detection of glaucoma. The data from the comprehensive eye exam and optic nerve assessment was then transmitted electronically to a tertiary glaucoma center, located geographically remotely from the primary eye care clinics, where it was evaluated by an ophthalmologist with fellowship training in glaucoma. The training and mentored research program proposed in this application will enable Dr. Rhodes to achieve her goal of becoming an independent clinician-scientist who can meaningfully contribute to the creation of novel care delivery methods to address our growing health care needs.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = -$23,488 )
2021	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	5	9/15/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$23,488
														Subtotal = -$23,488

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $220,163 )
2020	2020	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	5	4/9/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$220,163
														Subtotal = $220,163

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $220,163 )
2019	2019	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	4	4/19/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$220,163
														Subtotal = $220,163

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $220,163 )
2018	2018	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	3	4/23/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$220,163
														Subtotal = $220,163

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $220,163 )
2017	2017	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH ST	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	2	4/27/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$220,163
														Subtotal = $220,163

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $220,163 )
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	1530 3rd Avenue South, AB 1170	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	000	1	4/4/2016	NEW	$160,483
2016	2016	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	1530 3rd Avenue South, AB 1170	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Vision Research	001	1	4/6/2016	NEW	$59,680
														Subtotal = $220,163

Grand Total All Awards = $1,077,327

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Using telemedicine to improve glaucoma care: An emerging eye care delivery model

Award Number: K23EY025724

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2016

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2021

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